Preventing gas theft as prices continue to increase

Amarillo, TX - As gas prices continue to increase, so does the risk of theft.

In most cases, when gas is being stolen from a person's vehicle it is being siphoned or sucked through a hose into a gas can.

In recent weeks, there have been more than a dozen reports of gas thefts in Amarillo, from both gas stations and homes where cars were parked.

To make sure you don't fall victim, Amarillo police say there are preventative steps you can take.

"Get the cars in the driveway, as close to the house as possible, the last thing we want to do is probably leave them on the street where they are a little more susceptible to that type of activity. A locking gas cap also, it's probably not going to stop them a hundred percent but it may slow them down or it may deter them enough to go somewhere else," said Corporal Jerry Neufeld with the Amarillo Police Department.

Police say it is hard to track this crime unless the thief is caught in the act, so try to keep an eye on your vehicle as often as possible.